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How many of you run Warranty calls on nights and Weekends?

I work for a company that runs warranty on Saturday til about 5pm then we charge normal charges plus after hour trip charges plus hourly etc.

Reason I ask, is because I had a client call me this evening wanting a warranty service call on a tstat he installed that does not have any power going to it. Now mind you its a new install and it is under warranty, but their is a gray area here with the client installing the new tstat. So I told the client that we do not run warranty calls on Sunday PM, and it would be the after hour charge, and we could get to him as soon as possible during the work week for no charge. He grumbled and the conversation was over...

Make a long story short, the client calls back, complaining to the after hour service about the after hour charge, so I had to call him back again and listen to him complain about having to pay for me to come out on a Sunday night, and how he was going to tell everyone he could about how displeased he was and practically sounded like he wanted my head on a pike.

I was disappointed with his attitude for one, he put a tstat on his wall, and I am sure a monkey could do it with the instruction available, but still that is a complication, chances are he prob, blew a fuse, or in that area there has been allot of drain issues, float switches activating due to installation issues..

In addition, this client has 2 central air systems in his house...

I can understand after dealing with this spoiled rich man, who has an entitlement complex, why so many people dislike the rich..

Not to mention I am about an hour transit wise from his location..

So my question is how many companies out there, run warranty calls on Sunday nights? Most company's I worked for frown on running warranty calls on Weekends holidays etc, because you usually need warranty parts...

He was shocked and in awe, that the company I work for does not run warranty calls on Sunday nights? I am just curious if their are legions of HVAC, service techs out their chomping at the bit to run warranty calls on Sunday nights..

He bought the thermostat from your company and installed it himself. I'd have HIM bring me the thermostat, test it and decide if it is a warranty issue or not.
Does he expect Lowes of HD to open up on a Sunday night to replace something he bought during the week?

would the GM or Ford place open up after hrs for a warranty repair on thier vehicle, me thinks not, we will only run after hours warranty calls if the install is 30 days or newer, (incase its an installation issue) all other warranty calls are during regular business hours,

We run warranty calls after hours. We want referrals from our customers. You leave a family that spent big bucks with you without heat all weekend, they will be telling all their friends not to deal with you!

In this case I would probably inform the customer that if the issue is related to them installing the thermostat themselves, then they WILL be charged for a service/diagnostic fee, call out fee and labor, however if it is something else, factory authorized parts Won't be available until the first part of the week.

wow, remind me to never reffer work to you guys. ill buy from baldloonie first

poor customer service kills most small business's faster than all other reasons combined.

if i spent thousands on what im sure you promised is the greatest system ever and it crapped out and was told to i had to wait just like everyone else id let everyone know ( facebook, twitter tec ) how pissed i was..

as far as the HO messing it up, my technician would be expected to warranty the diagnostics and then advised the HO why there may be charges. BTW sometimes what it take to fix their screw ups might be nothing more that rewiring there big box thermostat.

whats that cost you compare to the bad press you will get by blaming him.

Simple fact: HO took charge to change his t-stat. Unit was running beforehand. There is no way that's a warranty call. That's a service charge through and through. No gray area here. How it should be handled is up to the business owner. But a customer thinking they're entitled to "free work" i'd happily cut them loose. Bad press or not.